Door holder and buffer



Jan. 5, 1954 J. G. ALLEN DOQR HOLDER AND BUFFER Fild June 10, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l MM H M m m4 .m N I Law/T 3 A f M Jan. 5, 1954 J. G. ALLEN DOOR HOLDER AND BUFFER 2 t e e .h 4 s at 9 m s 2 Filed June 10, 1950 INVENTOR. Jew/5 6. 41.4!

Patented Jan. 5, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 10 Claims.

This invention relates to door checks and in particular to improvement in a mechanically operated door closing device, an anti-slamming or bufling device, an automatic latching and delatching device, and locking device for positioning the door open.

Mechanical means have heretofore been employed to close and prevent slamming of doors and to secure doors in the open position; however, the several devices of the prior art have not proven entirely satisfactory in that usually the anti-slamming element interferes with the closing element, and the securing element for holding the door in the open position does not work positively nor automatically and generally interferes with the closing and anti-slamming elements.

With the foregoing in view, the primary object of the invention is to provide an integrated door closing element, anti-slamming or buffer element, and open-position door holding element including an automatic latching and delatching element.

An object of the invention is to provide an integrated device which is easily reversible and adaptable to either right or left-hand doors.

An object of the invention is to provide a device which is easily and quickly mounted.

An object of the invention is to provide a device which is inexpensive to manufacture as compared to other devices now on the market capable of comparable utility and function.

An object of the invention is to provide a device which does not require intricate adjustment.

An object of the invention is to provide an anti-slamming element which is substantially deactivated at a point adjacent the door's closed position so as not to interfere with the door closing element. a

An object of the invention is to provide a positive locking element for positioning the door open which does not burden the closing element or buffing element.

An object of the invention is to provide a buifer element operable at peak resistance when the door is approximately 45 degrees open which will diminish in resistance as the door closes to practic'ally no resistance when the door is approximately or degrees open.

These and other objects of the invention will 'become apparent by reference to the following description of a door-check embodying the invention taken in connection with the accompanyi'ng drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the device secured to the top of a door-way and attached to a door showing the door and part of the jamb in crosssection with the door in the closed position.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the door in a partially opened secured position.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the door in an open position in the act of closing.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the door in a full open, secured position.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the door in a full open, secured and locked position.

Fig. 6 is a partial plan view of a door check and closer embodying my invention, partly in cross-section showing the buffing, securing, and locking elements in greater detail with the check or buffing element and the holder element activated in mutual coaction.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 6 taken on the line 1--1 thereof.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 6 taken on the line 88 thereof.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a portion of the device in the open, secured and locked condition with a, portion of the arm broken away to show internal parts.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the slide bar.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, the door-check disclosed therein to illustrate the invention comprises a door jamb plate, a free pulley on the plate adjacent the jamb, a torsion arm pivotally mounted on the plate remote from the jamb. a tension spring anchored at one end remote from the jamb, reversely turned about the free pulley and attached at its other end on the arm so as to torsion the arm away from a door, a notched door slide, a pin on the arm positioned adjacent the notched inner side of the slide, a cam traveler on the slide adapted to follow the arm-pin in either direction and to normally prevent the arm pin from entering the slide notches in either direction of travel except when the swinging of a door is reversed at a notch to permit the arm pin to enter a notch when the swinging of a door is reversed at a notch, and a toggle-type buffer on the arm adapted to contact the slide when the door is closing and adapted to exert greatestresistance to the torsion arm closing a door during the initial stages of closing to prevent slamming and to offer practically no resistance to the torsion arm adjacent the doors closed position to insure the torsion arm completely closing the door.

Referring in more detail to the component parts of the embodiment of the door-check as shown in the drawings, a plate 28 is attached to the top of a doorway or on doorway bracket 21 by means of screws or bolts 22 and is equipped with dual, threaded spring anchor apertures 23 and 23a on either side thereof intermediate its length, a stub shaft 25 mounted on the plate 29 at one end thereof, a :stub shaft 25 mcnnted on the plate 2dliadi'accrit the other end-thereof, afiiree pulley 26 mounted on the stub shaft 2 2, a torsion arm sector 2? pivotally mounted on the stub she-it 25, a spring anchor 28 on the sector 2 a spring anchor 23 threaded in one springenchor-aperture 23 of the plate 23, a spring 39 anchoredcn the plate 29 via spring anchor 29 and reversely turned about the pulley 26 andsecured-to the-sector spring anchor 23 under tension so as-tg tor sionally bias the sector 27 in a direction away from an adjacent door, a channeledtprsion arm 31 U -sha pe clin cross section and Welded to the sector 27 for movement therewith and having spacedapertures 'piercedin its back portion, door slide rail, 33 having catch notches Ed in the edge thereof disposed toward a door '35 and lock notches 33 disposed inthe side-:thereoiremote r'rom a door-3'5, and a stoppin 3i onthe slide rail 33 on'the end of the slid rail adjacent the hinges38 wof the door '35. The door slide rail 33 is attachable to *doortd'via screws or bolts 39. lateral projections or tips li! on one end of the torsion armfiBi are-adapted to overlap either side of the door sliderail 3'3 and a door slide cam traveler 4H ,slidag ly mounted on the door slide rail engaging pin 42 disposed between the ends of the projections lfi *andadapted to lie between the sliderail 33 and the ,door'13'5. Locking fingers d3 a re'pivotally mounted adjacent the end of the torsion arm via the pin a slide lock notch engaging pinde'being disposedhetween the ends of theglock f ngers (i3, manual actuatingtabs being providedon the-fingers' iil a spring all being disposed betweenpthe torsional-m 3 I and the lock fingers i3, andacatcn-dl'being pivot-ally mounted on the torsion arm 3i Via, the pin 43 adapted toengage the'pin-tfito secure the pin #5 out of engaging relation with the lock'notches '36 of the i-slide rai-l-fl. 'A torsion armchannel sleeve'Eil is adapted to lie --within the torsion arm iii, a

threaded stud 5i adapted to 'lie in one 'of' the apertures 32 of "the torsion arm 31 for adjustaply pesition-ingthe sleeve-5i! at selected points semen the ends'of-thetors-ion arm -3l, a-nut 52 threaded-on the stud iii securing the sleeve dd tothe torsion armt-l, a'toggle leg 53 pivotally mounted-on the sleeve *9 via the-pin -Sd; a float- =-ingtog-gle-leg 35 engaging the sleeve--50 via the roller or-w=heeltfi pivotal-lyconnected to the toggle'leg53 via the-pim-El, a wheel orroller '53 on the pin fi'l for engaging the door slide rail 33, a

spring-anchor pin 59 on the "toggle leg 55 adjacent the roller a tension spring Gil anchored relative to the toggle leg 53 via the pin 5c and secured-to the togg-leleg 55 via the-spring anchor pin 59,-and togglestops ti on the sleeve 56 adapt- Step6}! adjacent one end'of the cam portion 81, and nin qp=fi:9-adiac ent the o her end o th cam portion 56.

The pulley 26 and the sector 21 are attached to the stub shafts 2d and 25 respectively by means of cotter pins ii and washers l2 permitting reversing of the sector 2? and the torsion arm 3| in relation to the plate 20; in other words, to reverse the device to facilitate operating with the door 555 swinging from the side opposite that shown in the drawings, the cotter pin H and the Washer '52 are removed from the stub shaft and thesector 2! taken therefrom and turned over thereby reversing the sector in relation to the remaining mechanism; the Washer 72 and the cotter pin ii are then replaced, the plate spring anchor it removed from the position shown in the drawi-ngsand screwed into the plate spring anchorthreaded aperture 23a, Fig. 4; the spring 39 is then secured to the anchor 23c and looped in the opposite ,idilTSCtiGIl around the pulley 26 from that shown in the drawings, and connected to the sector spring anchor 28. The device is then in position for operating with the door oppositelyhung from the position indicated in the drawings.

In installing the device on a-door, the plate 29 is screwed via the screws '22 -to the topof the doorway 2i or to a bracket projecting :tromthe side of the doorwayand the doorslide rail 33 is screwed to the door '55 'by means of the -sorews39.

In operation, considering the door-closing ;elements of the device, the sector fil istorsionedby the spring in a direction away from the door, or in a direction the same as the-closing direction or the door. Due to the length of the spring 38, its-tension is notncaterially increased-or decreased when the door'is inthe open or-closed position due to thefactthat th rotationof the sector '23 not substantially -elongate the spring 33. In other words, substantially constant tension is appliedto the torsion arm 3 I whether the door is open or closed thus-providingthe-door with substantially constant urge towards closing. The pin -E-slidabI-y engages theslide rail 33 ween the rail and the door 35 thereby-com municating the torsion of the arm 3| to thedoor with the pin 32.

'--onsidering the slide rail =33 being-deleted of its notchestli the action or --the device so far-described inthe dese-ription-of-the operation isas follows: The spring ters'ions'the torsion arm'3l whic-h-torsion is a p-lied to the door til-via the pin-d2slidahi-y engaging the-sl-ide=rail 33 so-that when -the door is manually opened a-ga-inst the tension of the spring 1'? and then-released, the tension of the sprin o -torsions the arm S-l via the sector-2'2 so that/the pin [t2 engages the slide rail'dsand pulls the doorclosed'with the pin 42 sliding along-thesl-ide rail a. It will be-noted in thisconnection that. the door would slam due to the i-act that no puffing element against its slamming has yet been described.

To prevent the door slamming the toggle type 'buffer or anti-slamining elemen-titil is longitudinally adjustably positioned --as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, within 'thechannel of the torsion arm-ill via the-spacedapertures 3-2and the torsion arm 3% and 'the stud 51 on" thetoggie its maximum of mechanical resistance in conjunction with the legs 33 and '55. Fig. 1 illustrates in dotted lines the position of the toggle in its weakest condition to oppose mechanical resistance to pressure on the roller 58. It will be noted therefore, that the toggle bufier 80 provides its maximum resistance when the door is closing at a position spaced from its actual closed position of approximately 30 to 45 degrees and that the toggle buffer as is at its weakest mechanical condition for resisting pressure at the roller 53 when the door is closely adjacent to its closed condition. In this way the toggle buffer is operative to contact the slide rail 33 as the door is closing at a point when the door is removed from its closed position to absorb the momentum of the closing door under the torsion arm 3| to substantially reduce the velocity of the closing door at a point 30 to 45 degrees away from its closed position. It is to be further noted that, after the toggle has absorbed the momentum of the closing door and reduced its swinging velocity, the toggle approaches its weakest condition of resistance at the point when the door is slightly spaced from closing thereby eliminating resistance of the toggle buffer 83 to the torsion of the arm 3| so that the toggle bulfer 33 furnishes practically no resistance against the torsion arm 3| to close the door 33 in the last 5 or degrees of the door swing or are.

' Considering now the latching and locking mechanism of the invention, it will be noted that the slide rail 33 is provided with latching or catch notches 3 3 and locking notches 33. It will be further noted that both the catch notches 34 and the locking notches 33 are equipped with a sloping wall Bl disposed toward the door hinge 38 and an abrupt or hooked wall 82 or 32a disposed towards the non-hinged edge of the door 35 for operation in conjunction with the pin 42 disposed on the tips 40 of the torsion arm 3!. It can be thus seen in opening the door the pin 42 will ride over the notches 34 due to the sloping wall 8! therein and will catch in the notches 33 when the door is closing due to the abrupt or hooked wall 32a therein to allow the door to be freely opened and for latching the door in an open position when the door is closing. The function of the device so far described in its operation would be such that upon closing of the door the torsion of the arm 3i would cause the pin 32 to travel against the edge of the slide rail 33 having the notches 33 therein so that the pin 42 would engage each notch 34 in its closing and necessitate manually disengaging the pin 32 from the notch 34 to allow the door to close. To obviate this condition, the cam traveler H is slidably disposed on the slide rail 33 with the cam portion 61 positioned in a direction opposite to the sloping wall ill of the notch 34. In opening and closing the door the pin 32 contacts the pin stops 38 and 39 on the traveler 35 so that the traveler slides with the pin 42 and tips 48 relative to the slide rail 33. In opening the door from its closed position the pin 42 contacts the pin stop 39 on the traveler 4! adjacent the low portion on the cam surface 67 and as the door is progressively further opened the pin causes the traveler 4| to slide on the rail 33 from the position indicated in Fig. 1 to the position indicated in Fig. 4. It will be noted that in opening the door the pin 32 is abutting the stop 33 adjacent the low part of the cam portion 61, allowing the pin 42 to drop into the notches 33, and that the sloping wall 8! of the notches 34 allows the pin 42 to travel out of the notches 34 in openingthe door.

- To latch the door open the door is opened until the pin 42 drops into a notch 34 at the low end of the cam 61; the door is then released and the pin 42 contacts the abrupt or hooked wall 82a of the notches 34-, positioning the door in the selected open position. This action is identical in any one of the notches 34 along the slide rail 33. To close the door 35 from a latched position as immediately previously described, the door is opened to a point where the pin 42 is disposed intermediate a pair of the notches 34 of the slide rail 33 and the door is then allowed to close under the torsion of the arm 3! so that the pin 42 slides from a position adjacent the pin stop 69 on the traveler 4| to a position abutting thepin stop 33 on the traveler 4| so that the pin '42 is also engaged by the high end of the cam portion 61. In this position the pin and traveler slide relative to the bar 33 with the high end of the cam portion 61 preventing the pin 42 from entering the notches 34 so that the pin 42 by-passes the notches 34 allowing the torsion arm 3| to completely close the door.

To open and close the door without latching same in the opened position, the door is opened to a point where the pin 42 is intermediate 3, pair of the notches 33 and then released so that the pin 42 travels relative to the traveler 4| to a point adjacent the high end of the cam portion 6'! and abutting the pin stop 38, and from that point on the traveler 4! and pin 42 move together relative to the slide rail 33 with the high end of the cam portion Bl preventing the pin 42 from entering the notches 34 and allowing the door to close under the torsion of the arm 3 I.

To look the door in the open position the latch 4'! is released, allowing the fingers 43 to position the lock pin 45 under the pressure of the spring 33 against the side of the slide rail 33 having the lock notches 36 therein so that when the door is opened to approximately right angles to the door jamb the lock pin 45 drops into a lock notch 36 in the slide rail 33 so that when the door is released the torsion arm 3| slides the lock pin 35 into a notch 36, abutting the abrupt wall 82 of the notch 33 and thereby locking the door in the open position. The pin 31 on the slide rail 33 is adapted to stop relative movement between the slide rail 33 and the arm 3| at a, point in which the lock pin 35 is positioned in a lock notch 33. In order to release the door from its locked position it is necessary to manually extract the lock pin 65 from the lock notch 36 via the tabs 46 on the lock arms 33 and if it is desired to render the locking element inactive, the pin 43 is latched in inoperative positionby means of the catch ti on the torsion arm3l; the lock fingers 43 and locking pin 35 may be optionally completely deactivated or allowed to actively operate.

It will be noted from the above description of the operation of the inventive device that the closing, bufiing, latching and locking mechanisms are completely coordinated permitting the user to latch or lock the door in an open position or a partially opened position and that the elements of the device are so coordinated that the operation of one element does not interfere with the operation-of another element and that the peak efliciency of the toggle buffer isused to dissipate the peak momentum of the door by the torsion of the arm 3|,and that the minimum resistance of the toggle buffer is at a point closely adjacent. to the closed position of the door thereby "deactivating the toggle butler I to furnish resistance to the. torsion arm in completel-yclosing the door insuring that the torsion arm will completely close the: doom.

The general proportions and relationship of the, slide rail, torsion arm, traveler and locking element indicated in the drawings and described herein are desirable: and preferable: for the proper functioning of the; invention. Although: but a sin le. embodiment: of the. invention: has been shown and described: indetail; it' is: obvious hat many changes may. be. made in the size, shape, detail. and. arrangements of. the elements of; the invention within the scopetof theappend'ed' claims.

I claim:

1'. A door; closing device comprising a mounting plate, pulley freelyrotatably mounted onsaidzplatev adjacent the door jambend thereof, a sector. freely rotatablymounted on said plate adjacent. the doorway end thereof; a spring anchor. on; the arcuate portion-of said sector; a" spring anchor on said plate intermediate said pulley and said sector, a tension spring secured to; said: spring plate: anchor, reverselyturned aboutisaid: pulley adiacentth-e door jambend of said plate and secured to the-spring anchor on said-sector so as 'to'torsionsaid sector in' adi rection. away: from the door'to Which said plate isrmountedadj acent, a-torsion arm on 'said' 'sector,

a: door slide rail mountableon a (ilooradjacentsaid: plate; tips on said arm=-overlyingsaid" rail, and? a pin disposed between said tips adjacent the inside edge of said rail iii-sliding engage; ment with the inside: edgeof said rail; said spring being capable of torsioning said sector and said attached arm to close a door to wlii'ch the slide rail is attached-i via the sliding engagement" of! said pinon said slide rail from any'open posi'-' tion of the door.

2: A bufier to--prevent a door from'slamming; upon" closing having a torsion arm adaptedto close a door; afirsttoggle leg. pivotally. disposedadjacent oneend thereof on the arm; .a secondtoggle leg slidably-- disposed adjacent one end thereof Ont-He-armand pivotally'connected adjacent its other end to*thefother end of fsaid first toggle leg; and a: spring disposed: between the arm pivoted end of said" first toggle; leg'j'and the arm sliding-end of-said secon'dtoggle leg adapted? to jacknifesaidtoggle'legsrelative toon'e an.-

other so as to"f0rm* a triangle with the arm when a door-- to which the: arm 'is' 'slidably attachedis in -the-open position t'o" slidably; contact" a member on the door uponclosing'jto" resist the closin or'the doorvia the jacknifed' mechanical. position of the legs and the tension ofisaid spring by contacting the-member on the'doorat'the mutually connectedends-of= said legssoi that further. closing of" the door collapses the" legs ;from': a jackniferesis'tingposition to. a straight p'osi;

tion" substantially devoid" of mechanical resistance to the closing of thedoor:

3; A door catchdevice having' a torsion" arm attachable to a-- door-way? and af slide rail at; tachable' to i a doorhavingcatchnotches"therein defined by a sloping-walltow'ard the hinged? side of a" door and air abrupt wall toward" the non-hinged side of-a door; a traveler slidably. mounted on said rail;- a'. cam on'saidtraveler having a high portion toward the "hinged side; of a door-"and a' low portlomtoward the non hinged sideof a do or; stops-on' saidtraveler a'd'-' jacent' either endaiof said cam; a*pin*onthe arm= slidablyi engaging the notcl'iecl side of the' sli de" disposed: between said stops adjacent said camr the. hatches being adapted to allow said pin to drop into and move outof thenotches in opening a. door; said cam being adapted to permit said pin to engage the abrupt wall of said notch to secure a door in open position when the opening'. action of a door is immediately reversed upon said; pin entering a notch; and said cam being adapted to prevent said pin entering a notch when the; opening action of a door is not immediately reversed.

4. A door closer and buffer comprising a mounting plate; a pulley freely rotatably mounted on said plate adjacent the door jamb end thereof, a sector freely rotatably mounted on said plate adjacent the door-way end thereof, a spring anchor on the arcuate portion of said section: a spring: anchor on said plate intermediatesaid pulley and saidsector, a tension spring securedv to said: spring plate anchor reversely turned about. said pulley adjacent thedoor jamb endi ot'said'. plate andseeured to the spring an chor on. said sector was to torsion said sector in a direction away from the door to which said plateiis mounted" adjacent, a torsion arm on said sector, a door slide rail mountable on a doorad'jacent Said: plate, tips on said arm overlying said rail, a; pin disposed between said tips adjacent the inside edge of said rail in sliding engagement with the inside edge of said:rail;. saidsecond-a.- toggle" leg slidably disposed at one" end thereoffonisaid arm. andipivotally connected at its other end tothe other end of saidrfirst leg,

and a spring: disposed between the pivoted end of: saidifirst leg and the sliding end' of said second; legadapted: to urge ithe sliding end of said second legetowards the pivoted end of said first leg toi jacknife said. legsr'elative to one another toia position approaching right"angles relative to" said arm; the: mutually connected ends-of. said legs-"being -adaptedtoi engage said slide rail upon thef'c'losing" of a. door t'o-whi'ch saidslide rail is attachedito provideiresistance to said arm clos ingza door-r'an'd tocollapsefroma; jackm'fe position -relativeto said arm to" a( position substam tially'parallel with: said arm by extending said last named spring connecting: the-pivoted'end OfiSfi-idlfilSl? armcandithesliding'endiof said se'condi'arm'to 'permitisaid armto' close a door.

51A door closer and" buffer comprising a mounting plate; a pulley freely 'rotatably mountedioni said plate adjacent: the door jamb end thereof; arsector freely rotatably' mounted on said: plate adjacent the doorway" end thereof,

a springt anchor onthearcuate portion of 'said sect'onrspring anchor on said plate intermediate saidipulleyrandsaid se'ctor. a tension spring secured to said spring: plateancho'r reversely turnedabout said pulleyadja'c'e'nt the door jamb endt-ofrsaid pl'at'e and 'securedto the spring anclior'on' said: sector so asto torsion said sector inia-zdirection awayiromthe door to which-said platens-mounted adjacent, a torsion arm-onsaid sector; a doorsliderail'm'ountable on a door adjacent-said plate, tipson said arm overlying sa d*-rail,'.a=pin disposedbetween said tips adacent theinside edgeof said rail in slidingenagement with the inside edge'of said rail; said m ng bemg-capable of torsioning-jsaid sector and-said' attached arm to" close a door to which the slide rail is attached via the-slidingerigage ment of'sai'd 'pin 'on said sliderail; a toggle leg pivotally disposed at one end thereof on said arm, a second toggle leg slidably disposed at one end thereof on said arm and pivotally connected at its other end to the other end of said first leg, a spring disposed between the pivoted end of said first leg and the sliding end of said second leg adapted to urge the sliding end of said second leg towards the pivoted end of said first leg to jacknife said legs relative to one another to a position approaching right angles relative to said arm; the mutually connected ends of said legs being adapted to engage said slide rail upon the closing of a door to which said slide rail is attached to provide resistance to said arm closing a door and to collapse from a jacknife position relative to said arm to a position substantially parallel with said arm by extending said last named spring connecting the pivoted end of said first arm and the slidingend of said second arm to permit said arm to close a door; said slide rail having catch notches therein defined by an abrupt wall on the side remote from said plate and a sloping wall on the side adjacent said plate, a traveler slidably mounted on said slide rail, a cam portion on said traveler having a low end adjacent said plate and a high end remote from said plate, and pin stops on said traveler adjacent sa'id cam portion; said cam portion on said traveler being adapted to allow said arm pin to drop into the notches of said slide rail at the low end of said cam portion and to prevent said arm pin from dropping into the notches of said slide rail adjacent the high end of said cam portion; said cam portion being further adapted to allow said pin to drop into said notches upon opening a door and to prevent said pin from dropping into said notches upon the closing of a door.

6. A door operating mechanism comprising mounting plate, a pulley freely rotatably mounted on said plate adjacent the door jamb end thereof, a sector freely rotatably mounted on said plate adjacent the door-Way end thereof, a spring anchor on the arcuate portion of said sector, a spring anchor on said plate intermediate said pulley and said sector, a tension spring secured to said spring plate anchor reversely turned about said pulley adacent the door jamb end of said plate and secured to the spring anchor on said sector so as to torsion said sector in a direction away from the door to which said plate is mounted adacent, a torsion arm on said sector, a door slide rail mountable on a door adjacent said plate, tips on said arm overlying said rail, a pin disposed between said tips adjacent the inside edge of said rail in sliding engagement with the inside edge of said rail; said spring being capable of torsioning said sector and said attached arm to close a door to which the slide rail is attached via the sliding engagement of said pin on said slide rail; a toggle leg pivotally disposed at one end thereof on said arm, a second toggle leg slidably disposed at one end thereof on said arm and pivotally connected at its other end to the other end of said first leg, a spring disposed between the pivoted end of said first leg and the sliding end of said second leg adapted to urge the sliding end of said :second leg towards the pivoted end of said first 'leg to jacknife said legs relative to one another to a position approaching right angles relative to said arm; the mutually connected ends of said legs being adapted to engage said slide rail upon the closing of a door to which said slide rail is attached to provide resistance to said arm closing a door and to collapse from a jacknife position relative to said arm to a position substantially parallel with said arm by extending said last named spring connecting the pivoted end of said first arm and the sliding end of said second arm to permit said arm to close a door; said slide rail having catch notches therein defined by an abrupt wall on the side remote from said plate and a sloping Wall on the side adjacent said plate, a traveler slidably mounted on said slide rail, a cam portion on said traveler having a low end adjacent said plate and a high end remote from said plate, and pin stops on said traveler adjacent said cam portion; said cam portion on' said traveler being adapted to allow said arm pin to drop into the notches of said slide rail at the low end of said cam portion and to prevent said arm pin from dropping into the notches of said slide rail adjacent the high end of said cam portion; said cam portion being further adapted to allow said pin to drop into saidnotches upon opening a door and to prevent said pin from dropping into said notches upon the closing of a door; said rail having lock notches formed thereon on the edge thereof remote from a door towhich said rail is attached, lock fingers on said arm, a lock pin disposed between said fingers, a spring urging said lock pin via said fingers into engagement with said slide rail so that upon opening a door said pin will slide relative to said slide rail to a point adjacent the lock notches therein and enter one of the notches under the pressure of said spring to lock a door in an open position.

7. A door closing device comprising a pulley positionable adjacent to the hinged side of a door, a pivoted arm positionable remote from the hinged side of a door, a spring anchor on said arm adapted to exert torsion thereon to pivot said arm, a stationary spring anchor positionable between said pulley and said arm pivot point, and a tension spring secured to said stationary spring anchor leading around said pulley to said spring anchor; said arm being adapted to engage a mem ber on the door to close said door from any open position under the power of said spring.

8. A door buffer adapted to prevent a door from slamming upon closing comprising a toggle leg pivotally mounted adjacent one end thereof, a toggle leg movably mounted adjacent one end thereof, a pin pivotally inter-connecting the unmounted ends of said toggle legs, and a spring connected to said toggle legs intermediate their ends adapted to urge the mounted ends of said toggle legs together to jacknife said legs relative to one another to provide mechanical advantage in the device against a door closing at a point spaced from the doors closed position and to collapse as the door approaches its closed position so that the devices mechanical advantage is diminished and is finally completely lost when the door is closely adjacent its closed position thereby eliminating buffer resistance to the complete closing of the door.

9. A door closing device for closing a door relative to a jamb and for securing a door open relative to a jamb comprising slide rail mountable on one member having a notch therein defined by an abrupt wall on the side of the notch remote from the hinged edge of the door and a wall sloping toward the other side of said notch, a torsion arm mounted on the other member slidably engaging said rail to close a door and to permit a door to be opened, a pin on said arm slidably engaging the inside of said rail so that into said rail notch; said cam being adapted :to 1

prevent said pin from entering said rail notch when a door is closing ifthe pinis not positioned in said rail notch upon initiating ..closing of a door.

10. In combination, a ldooreclosing, automatically-variably checking, and positive-securin and vautomatically-releasing-holcler :devi.c.e comprising .a slide-rail positionable on a door, :a torsion-arm positionable on :a jamb, a -pin:on;s.a'id

arm slidably engaging the inside of said-rail :to I

permit opening :and to efiect closingof :a door; said rail having pin engaging notches .in the :in-

side thereof by-passablerby-said pinin door. opening and normally pin receivable indoor closin to engage said pinto hold-the door :in selectable open conditions; a eam-travelerslidab y di osed on said rail adapted to :be bidirectionall-y moved by said pin and itself adapted to selectively permit said pin to engage :a notch on said rail door closing, and :a toggle-check carried by said arm adapted to engage zsaidsrrail-to automatically variably check-Ia :door as :the doormoves from an open to a lull-closed position and to urge said pin into "engagement with said rail-notch When said checking and holding elements are both activated.

.JAMES G. ALLEN.

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